Surfside

By Golan Vach

Colonel Golan Vach, head of a unit of the Israel Defense Forces that specializes in search and rescue operations, had never seen a disaster zone like the crumbled condo building in Surfside, Florida, in his more than 20 years of military experience. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: mitlas productions, llc
• Release date: May 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088034859

Book preview

SURFSIDE

A Search and Rescue Operation

Israeli and American Rescue efforts after the collapse of the Champlain Tower South, in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida

Colonel Golan Vach

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Israel's National Rescue Team (ISR-1) - Commander

We would not stop until every soul was returned to each family

-Surfside Rescuer

Surfside, Copyright @2022 by Golan Vach

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any means without the express written permission of the author.

Translated from Hebrew: Achsah Weinberg

Proofreading: Sally Mitlas

A special thank you to Esther and Marc Kaplin for their support

Photographs are courtesy of the IDF

Published in the United States.

Print ISBN 978-1-0880-3483-5

eBook ISBN 978-1-0880-3485-9

The residential condominium building Champlain Towers South

was located at 8777 Collins Avenue (Florida State Road A1A)

in the town of Surfside, just north of Miami Beach, Florida.

Champlain Towers South (completed in 1981) was part of a three-building complex.

On June 24, 2021, at approximately 1:25 AM (EDT) the building collapsed.

Thirty-five people were rescued the same day from the uncollapsed portion of the building, which was demolished 10 days later.

Four people were rescued from the rubble, but one died of injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital. Dozens more people were buried in the rubble and were declared missing in what has been described as one of the greatest construction disasters in U.S. history.

The best rescue units in the U.S. were launched to help with the disaster.

This is the journal of Colonel Golan Vach, Commander of the ISR-1, Israel's Special National Rescue Unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

His delegation was called two days after the collapse on June 27, 2021, to join forces with the U.S. rescue efforts.

Surfside was the ISR-1 30th overseas mission in the 40 years since inception.

Several names have been changed to protect the privacy of the families.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the ninety-eight beloved souls,

their families, as well as the brave American and Israeli responders.

A person and person looking at flowers Description automatically generated with low confidence

A memorial on a chain-linked fence

A large group of people standing in a parking lot Description automatically generated with medium confidence

American and IDF Team Members

cONTENTS

American Command Team

IDF Delegation

Introduction

June 26  to  July 11, 2021

LAYERS

THE HELPING HAND

SHE’S ALL I HAVE

ARRIVAL ON THE PILE

UTTER SILENCE

REBAR

A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

MOVING FROM PASSIVITY TO ACTION

A WHITE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

SOULS

EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE

FIRE CHIEF RAY JADALLA

3D IMAGING

FROM 159 TO 98

A SMALL BAG WITH PASSPORTS

WORKING TOGETHER

ONE OF OUR OWN

Catherina

HANDS UP IN SUPPLICATION

WHITE NYLON SUITS

THE FIRST SHABBAT

A SIMPLE CHAIN-LINKED FENCE

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

MY BELOVED IS MY HELP

SHOWING SUPPORT

THE EMOTIONAL FLOODING

ITTA

THE OPERATOR

METHODOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY

EXCEPT FOR THE ISRAELIS

LET’S GET THEM OUT OF HERE

WITH A NOBLE JEWISH SOUL

A PLATE WITH HOT FOOD

CHAI

PLEASE FORGIVE US

YOU MUST PRAY

Anna

YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEARTS

Rachel

ARCS OF WATER

Epilogue

Acknowledgement

About the Author

American Command Team

Alan R. Cominsky. Fire Chief, Miami Dade Fire Rescue

Ray Jadallah. Deputy Fire Chief, Miami Dade Fire Rescue

Jeff Rouse. Task Force Leader FL-TF1

Anthony Trim. Task Force Leader FL-TF1

Brandon Webb. FL-TF1 Program Manager

Scott Dean. Task Force Leader FL-TF2

Alex Fernandez. Task Force Leader FL-TF2

Michael Cayse. Task Force Leader OH-TF1

Eric Baum. Captain, Miami Dade Fire Rescue

Chris Martindale. Rescue Team Manager FL-TF1

David M. Nuñez. Rescue Team Manager FL-TF2

Jim Dobson. Rescue Squad Officer FL-TF2

IDF Delegation

Colonel Golan Vach. ISR-1 Commander

Colonel Elad Edri. Deputy Commander

Guy Gilady. MFA Delegation Coordinator

Lieutenant Colonel Amnon Leibowitz. Structural Engineer

Lieutenant Colonel Oz Jino. Rescue Officer

Major Moti Carmi. Structural Engineer

Major Tamar Levin. Spokesperson

Captain Uri Jospe. Intelligence Officer

Captain Ophir Madmoni. Rescue Officer

Captain Re’em Tzabari. Rescue Officer

Lieutenant Nissim Nasi. Structural Engineer

Lieutenant Yuval Klein. Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Avi Gabbay. Rescue Expert

Lieutenant Tal Levy Diamenstein. Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Ariel Holander. Rescue Officer

Lieutenant Avi Sagi. Rescue Expert

Sergeant Nahum Katz. Rescue Expert

Ofir Shweky. Photographer

Introduction

The collapse of the Champlain Towers South on June 24, 2021, transformed the oceanfront town of Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida, into a staggering scene of devastation and grief. Search and Rescue teams were called in to save as many people as possible. Thirty-five were found alive, but to the families of those who did not survive, it was vital that the remains of their loved ones be freed from the rubble.

My Search and Rescue task force is from Ohio. We arrived on the scene several days after the collapse, shortly after the delegation from Israel arrived. It was stiflingly hot and humid. We saw a mountain of debris, dust and smoke from small fires, and Rescue teams with dogs climbing through the unstable pile of wreckage. Barriers at the perimeter held back crowds of inconsolable families and curious onlookers.

The book you are holding is a very personal account of a professional approach that brought closure and comfort to these families, while significantly reducing the duration and cost of the Surfside Rescue mission.

The Ohio